The New Age
by Floodtail of FloodClan
Summary: As a cruel new regime grasps the land, a kit is born: It is Sabre; destined to make a rebellion and take down the ruler Snowtiger. But as he forms the army to combat Snowtiger, he is shaken by doubt when a prophecy shows and a betrayal begins. What will he choose to sacrifice- himself or the others depending on him? And can he take down Snowtiger?
1. Chapter 1

_A prophecy... a rebellion... a betrayal... and a hero._

**_Welcome to the New Age._**

A blood red moon glimmered on a range of snowcapped peaks. There was a mist shrouded valley tucked away beneath it, and a single star, cold and blue, glinted.

Under an arching elder tree, a medium sized hole, barely visible, was hidden in the roots. Moss padded the hole as it curved downward, deep into the earth, the dirt hard and cool. This was a tunnel that had never felt the warmth of sun or caress of the wind.

As it started to open up, a vast cavern, size of a cathedral, lay at the end. Strange marks were crudely carved into a slab of stone, propped against a dark corner.

A large block of white stone with a green tint towered at the back of the cavern. It was on a large, almost stage-like, place, and it shone with an eerie light that lit everything with a sinister glow.

At the base of the rock, a single figure sat, back bent as it observed a small slice of the stone, long as its claw.

It ran its claws along the dirt, tracing a rune into the dust. Beside it was another, sitting still as stone, its odd green gold eyes glowing.

"Adeo." The first figure rasped quietly. A dangerous edge ran the bolt of his words, smooth as silk. "The stone does not show as you told... Why is that?"

The other figure looked up, the brown fur on it fluffed against the age old chill. "I don't know. The stone has foretold that-"

"I do not care what the stone has told _you_. I want to know why the stone will not tell _me_ about the rebellion forces. It is the teller of future- yet- it does not yield what it should."

Adeo flinched. "Snowtiger! It should tell you about Sabre-"

"Yet it does not. And this is a mistake I cannot afford. Adeo, your time is over. The New Age can do without a mistaken fool- especially one who cost me a rebellion."

A flash of black claws, a scream, and Adeo lay dead on the hard packed earth. The stone pulsed and glowed brighter with a sickly reddish light, almost as if it fed on the death.

"Each sacrifice, a new age... But..." Snowtiger muttered. "Sabre and his forces will be extinguished. He will regret ever being born here." A snarl crept into his voice. "I will control the felines of all Earth. The New Age is here."

**3 years earlier**

The setting sun cast blood red rays across a meadow. A crumbling maze of houses was lining the edge of the waving grasses. Mountains towered in the distance, oppressive and threatening.

A shape- a feline- staggered into a ruined house, looking like it was at the end of its strength. Its fur was ragged and matted with blood and clots of dirt, and only the exhausted tread in her paws and the figure of her body gave away she carried young, and her time was here. She sunk gracelessly to the earth, shudders racking her frame. She let out a long, low wail.

Another shape was slinking after her, its blue eyes narrowed. It was a well-muscled white tom, with a haughtiness and power in the way it walked and tigerlike black stripes.

It stood in the doorway, watching pitilessly the she cat trembling on the ground. It was a dark silhouette.

She screeched as a kitten slid out of her, stillborn and cold, unknowing. The cat in the door padded forward slowly, a small scrape sound giving away the claws now scratching the floor. He snarled, and his voice was cold and malicious.

"Cloud." He growled. "Have you fled the valley without my permission? And you attacked Skull of my army. He may not live- because of you-"

"Please, Snowtiger," whispered the she cat. "Have mercy." She gasped as her body rippled and another small kitten slid out, unnoticed by the New Age leader.

He laughed coldly. "You are a threat- and threats must be extinguished." He slashed his claws down her neck, killing her instantly. A few flies started to buzz in. He turned to a grey and white swirled tom behind him. "Let's go, Marble. The vultures will be here soon." He sniggered as he and his advisor bounded out, the sun making their fur look bloody.

In the house, blood pulsed from her throat, and her eyes stared sightlessly at the kit she'd never named.

Outside, a lithe grey cat called Shima padded to the scene of death unknowingly, eyes slitted as she stared after the cruel ruler. Something needed to be done; she was sure of that- he was bent on domination. So far as she knew, he had those who willingly were in his army, and attended the strange meetings under the elder-tree; and those who were forced to obey his cruel laws. She would never g to his side, stoop to his levels.

Shima sniffed, eyes wide in horror as she smelled the scent of blood and death. "Cloud!" she called. "Cloud?"

She stumbled when she saw the she cat, blood soaked and head at an unnatural angle. She could see her friend was dead, murdered by the leader, and with a sniff of repulse, saw flies buzzing around her corpse.

A small movement alerted her to one life in the room. It was a tiny kitten, pawing the air, fur slicked back with blood.

She hurried forward, and grasped it. Looking around fearfully, she nosed her friend, and murmured a farewell. With the kitten in her jaws, she hurried off, the future hanging in her mouth, clinging to life.

The moon was in the sky. Stars glittered coldly down on Shima and the others she had gathered; strong Bruten, lean Nikara, wise Lune, proud Flicka, kind Panthera, the brothers Zig and Zag, eager Quartz, brother and sisters Raina and Pleek, caring Mooness and her kittens Sorrel, Fern, and Maple, quiet Asarma, small kitten Splotch, and the little bit cowardly Tinle. They all were a group, and they all hated the new rule.  
"Cloud has been killed." She announced grimly. They gasped; she had been a kind of leader and advice giver, and with her dead, it was a heavy toll. She silenced them with a flick of her tail.

"Snowtiger's army is large; we are obviously outnumbered, and we have no hope right now. It is no use prentending we do. He has Marble, Zume, Darklin, Slash, Smash, Skull, Crunch, Leo, Stagen, Snapra, Whoosh, Blacken, Diresha, Semla, Bree, Biruna, Feena, Stripe, and Flick. It is to my regret to inform you that Silver has betrayed us and joined the others."

An angry mutter rippled through the assembled. Shima nodded toward Mooness, who had the small kitten of Cloud's sucking beside Fern, Sorrel, and Maple.

"Cloud gave birth to one kit." She meowed. "What shall we call it?"

Bruten stood up, and rumbled in his low meow, "We should call him Sabre, in honor of the adversary who killed Snowtiger's father, and died himself in the process."  
Sabre was something of a legend. He had slew Snowtiger's father, who started the whole mess, and been killed by Snowtiger.  
"Then Sabre he shall be. And may the moon bless he end this." She said gravely. "Sabre, the knife to cut away this reign."

**I got the idea for this story while doodling in Health Class, (hey- it was boring ;)) so of course I jotted it down. I will be primarily doing this and Son of Gold... hope you guys like it!**


	2. An Unexpected Visit

**This is ****_not _****Warriors. It is not ****_Fan_****Fiction, even- it is completely mine. I own everything in the story. Also! I need five OOC'S, one per reviewer! They should not have warrior names- they can be anything. **

"Tell me a story."  
The kitten was pale grey with dark markings, and half his face was white. He had a silver eye and a gold eye, and they stared pleadingly at Mooness.  
He was Sabre, kitten who had a destiny like no othe.  
"Tell us a story, Mum!" All the kittens begged.

"Have you heard how the Earth came?" she asked, blinking fondly at the five young 'uns, Sabre, Splotch, and her own, Sorrel, Fern and Maple.

Sorrel shook her head. Sabre piped up. "No, but I heard Bruten, Panthera, Nikara and Asarma talking about it!"

She glanced at who he had named, and started her tale.  
"Long ago, thousands moons ago, there was black. Only black. Upon this black, there was no light; no life."

They all shivered at this. "Not even Snowtiger?" squeaked Splotch, looking terrified at the mention of the evil cat. Mooness smiled sadly, for this showed how far the tom's influence had spread, frightening even young kittens. "No, not even him." She told the splotched kit.  
"But as I said, there was just black. But then, two things came. One was gentle and pale and round; the other was fierce and bright and burning. It was the sun and moon gods.  
"And so they both looked at the bleak landscape stretching before them. The moon turned her soothing glow on it, washing the land with a silver light. She said, 'Let there be stars, so they may give light when mine fails.' And so the dark sky stretched with millions of bright warm stars, shedding blue light on top of the moonlight.  
"Then the sun god came, and the land blazed with copper and gold and all the warmest colors. The sky turned bright blue, like your eyes, Splotch."  
Splotch blinked, her sapphire eyes twinkling.

Sabre closed his eyes, imagining a meadow like the one lived in, blazing with light. He opened his eyes, pricking his ears to hear the rest of Mooness's story.  
"And then the moon and sun made every type of animal: cats, dogs, sheep, horses, humans, and more. They roamed the land, the good forests, the roaring sea, the windswept moor. And the moon and sun knew it was good-"

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A smooth voice cut into the story, and the kittens looked up in terror.

It was Snowtiger.

"I- I'm just telling them a story," whispered Mooness, frightened beyond belief. Wind swept around Snowtiger, making him look threating as the sun's last rays illuminated him. "And who's this?" he growled, eyeing Sabre, who was crouched down in terror. "I thought you only were nursing three and Splotch, because I killed her _unruly _mother."  
Splotch's eyes flashed in fury, but she turned away. "Oh... no.." Mooness stuttered. "We found this kit abandoned, probably by a human." She lied, hoping he would believe it.

He looked at her hard, and then rumbled, "And its name is?"

"Sa-" she started to meow, and then saw Asarma and Nikara frantically shaking their heads at her. "-lun." She finished, praying to the sun-god he wouldn't notice her slip up.

"Salun." He echoed, suspicion etched into his cruel face. "Yes." She murmured, wrapping her tail protectively around Sabre.  
He turned away, and padded to Bruten and Panthera, who were the basic-in-charge of the group. "I'll be watching." He hissed, and then padded away, back to where he came from.  
"That was Snowtiger, little ones. You must never, ever challenge him while you are weak, for he can kill you as he pleases."  
The kits nodded, horrorstruck.  
"Momma, that wasn't true, was it?" squeaked Sabre, "I wasn't a human throwaway? You're my mom."

"No, dear. You are my kit." _My adopted kit. It would break his heart if he knew his real mother or how she died... no. she was _murdered_ by Snowtiger._  
She blinked at them. "I think it's time for you little ones to go to sleep."  
The small group they had, loosely organized; was led by Bruten, Asarma, Nikara, and Panthera. The rest were just there- they didn't like the regime and wanted to escape Snowtiger's army. They weren't a threat at all or really against him in the rebellious sense, so he let them be and watched them.

They lived in the meadow outside the small mountain range, where the grass was long and a few towering oaks rose. Mooness led the kittens to the mossy, cavernous roots of an oak, and curled around them, lulling them to sleep, giving way to dreams.

Sabre woke up, shivering. The night had become cold, waking him. Mooness was still asleep, twitching, and so were Splotch and Fern and Sorrel and Maple.

He stood up, shook his pale fur, and blinked in surprise as something very cold landed on his nose. As he glanced up he saw the whole night sky swirling down with small white things, and moonlight illuminated them. Crossing his eyes to peer at the one melting on his nose, he fancied he heard a voice in his ear, and this was what it whispered:  
_Like a knife- a saber, to slice._

_The tiger as cold as ice_

_A small group, in significance equal to zero_

_A betrayal, a rebellion, a hero_

_But not all ends are happy._

No, some are never happy.

_A sacrifice to be made, _

_Like a path his way is laid_

_An age to begin_

_An age to end._

_But make sure all are loyal and true,_

_lest one betrays you_

_They are not sure where their path lies_

_but the pain from it will be like knives_

_An Age of New... to begin._

**Remember, one OOC per reviewer. And geez, what is it with me and prophecies? Each story of mine seems to have one! ;)**


	3. A Stranger and a Hunt

**Due to encouraging reviews, I have decided to keep the story :)**

Sabre scurried back to his nest, frightened. The sun was starting to seep over the mountains, and all around, the snow blanketed the meadow and the cats were waking. He decided to ignore it- maybe he had been dreaming- yes, that was it.  
He heard paws crunching behind him.

A kindly yellow face with tufted ears peered at him. "Little one, you should not be out of your nest at this early hour." Nikara said.

Sabre was about to reply when he saw a shape trudging through the thick snow.

It was a large, black tom, his tail blended with the blanketing snow. In a flash, Nikara and Panthera were in front of the tom, snarling fiercely.

"Are you one of Snowtiger's spies?" spat Panthera at him, bristling.

"No. I am a tom in need of shelter." He growled, shivering. "And surely you wouldn't turn me away."

Nikara eyed him suspiciously, and grunted. "Tell Bruten and Asarma." She ordered Panthera gruffly. "You. Outsider. Come with me."  
She stalked off, the strange cat trailing behind.

Sabre peered around the oak at the stranger. Immediately he was spotted.

"Well, hello there, young 'uns. What're you doin'- starin' at me?" He purred, eyes twinkling at them. Splotch, behind him, gasped and dove under a root, trembling.  
Sabre straightened on his paws, and said indignantly, "No."  
The tom observed him with amusement. "'No?' Then whatcha doin'?"

"I-I'm... getting moss!" he said, wildly improvising as he felt the moss squish beneath his paws.

The tom snorted, whiskers twitching. "Lil 'un, that ain't _moss _your paw's-re on. That's _mud_."

With a feeling of disgust, Sabre looked at the dark mud seeping over his paws and staining the pale fur. He sighed. "Right, then, you got us. We were spying on you."  
Rather than anger appearing on his sun washed features, he rolled over. "Kittens will be kittens. Pokin' their lil' noses into everythin'. Well, don't bother me when I'm a-sleepin'." With that he closed his eyes and his breathing grew steady.  
Sabre looked at Splotch, and then bolted away without a last glance, the other kitten racing after him.  
_

The moon smiled down in a sliver of silver light. A line of sturdy figures stood shoulder to shoulder with moonlight illuminated their fur.  
No one could have guessed it was five kittens, well into four moons of living. Fern, Maple, Splotch, Sorrel, and Sabre.  
A huge black tom stood in front of them, looming impressively. His tail swished back and forth.

"It is time, young ones. The moon goddess is ready to smile on your first hunt."  
Another, sleeker and darker, slipped beside him. Her yellow eyes cut through the dark. "Remember," she warned, "Do not be discouraged if you fail this task. And above all, if you see, smell, or hear anything..._ suspicious_- anything _at all-_ come back fast as your paws can allow."

Panthera, for that was who it was, nodded at the petrified young cats, and padded away, melting back into the shadows.  
"Splotch." Bruten rumbled. "You will go north toward the copse. Sorrel, you will go that way to. Fern, Maple, towards the meadow and human ruins. Sabre, you'll try among the stream. Good luck. May the moon pray you are well and have safety."  
He bounded off, leaving them staring at each other.

"Er- shall we go?" meowed Sorrel awkwardly.

"Oh yeah." Fern murmured.  
They all peeled off into differing directions, eyes alert, ears pricked, and noses twitching.  
Sabre fancied he caught a whiff of quail on a stirring breath of night wind.  
Padding after it, he saw a flurry of wings and bounded forward silently. He crouched, haunches waggling.  
He sprang, claws out and stretching in anticipation.

The feathers were thick and greasy. His grip got no traction, and with a squawk, the bird flew off.  
He cursed under his breath, eyes scanning for any movement. The stupid bird had made enough noise to scare off anything else that might be out tonight.  
Suddenly he was uncomftorably aware of the softness of his claws, the weakness of his muscle, the kitten fur framing his face. Really... he was just... a kitten.  
Bracing his shoulders, head low, he padded on, taking deep breaths. He finally caught scent of something, and he slowly stalked it.

There was a small squeak, and he saw a mouse scurrying along the seed- laden ground. He brought down his paw in a heavy blow, hearing the crack of the mouse's spine.

_Rustle._

Sabre stood, head swiveling. Suddenly he was on the ground, pinned by heavy paws. He took a breath to scream, but a paw roughly clamped over his maw, leaving him gasping and choking.

"_Not a word."_ A gravelly voice snarled in his ear. He cast a glance up, and saw a red furred tom glaring at him.

Just his luck.  
He'd been captured by Snowtiger's cronies.

**Also; Son Of Gold readers! Poll of Falcon's name on my profile~**


	4. An Ominous Message

**Vocab: **

**_Permadac'h- _**Term used to mean stupid or dumb, or something of an insult to someone's demeanor or intelligence

**_Darplin-_** First hunt, customary for a kitten.

**_Fuycha- _**A term for intelligence.

_The cave was slimy._

Ooze dripped off the stactilites or stalagmites, Sabre didn't care to know which was which. He just knew he was lost, catnapped, and cold.

A large, brutish looking swirled gray white tabby was planted at the entrance with a smaller, but no less cruel, dark female fae.

He whimpered as a throb pulsed in his head. He dimly recalled the red kidnapper hitting him with a heavy paw.

The guard with gray white fur looked at him. "Oh, look, Biruna- the thing's awake." He cackled, his claws rasping against the floor.

"Right you are, Marble." agreed Biruna, the female fae. "Let's take him to Snowtiger now."

Sabre's eyes widened in horror, but then a paw clamped down on his skull, and he blacked out again.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He woke in a dark room, and with a shudder, he saw a giant rock, white, tinged with a sickly green glow.

A dark figure with sloping shoulders sat in front of it, facing him.  
Snowtiger.

The cold, ice blue eyes pierced him, and he felt a fleeting bolt of hatred for this cat, who had taken him on a special night, his first hunt.  
Snowtiger circled him, and he said in cold voice, "Biruna, Marble, leave me now. Shall I need assistance I will summon you."  
Two shadows rose and left.  
"Ah... yes. The little kitten from that troublesome group in the meadow, you are." He murmured.

Sabre was shaking in terror. This cat could snatch life from him in a heartbeat and regret nothing.

He whimpered. "Let me go, please..." he pleaded.  
"Quiet, you foolish idiot kitten." Snowtiger snarled, slashing his claws down Sabre's spine. Blood oozed out and pain rippled through him. He choked back an agonized screech, and a small tear ran out of his eye and melted into his fur.

"A strong one, are we?" Snowtiger almost purred, sounding amused; a jagged edge of evil cruelness tinged his poisonous meow. "Well then, you'd better run back to your cowardly friends, kitten. "  
Sabre staggered to his paws and sprinted toward the exit, pads shredding on jagged stones and thorns.

"And give this message to them!" Snowtiger yowled after him. "Tell them they will rue the day they ever formed that band!"

Sabre tripped, but when a small breath hit him, he got up, and fled with wind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``  
The moment he reached the Home Oak in the meadow, he collapsed, panting as creamy dawn rays spilled out over the red mountains and lit the meadow.  
"SABRE!" A voice cried. He heard paws thundering toward him, but with the pain pounding through him and blood seeping out drowned out his reality.

He felt paws running over his spine, cool water dripping into his mouth, and soft, cold, pulpy stuff patted along the wound.  
"Mooness," he croaked, for his mother was standing over him, her eyes troubled, "He says... he says 'You'll rue the day you formed...'"

There was no need to mention who _he _was, only one inspired enough fear not to be referred to by name.  
But as he faintly perceived the horror in her eyes, agonized black seized him, and he was gone.

Sun glowed red behind his eyes, and a dull ache throbbed along his spine. He slotted them open, seeing a concerned face peering into his.

"Hi, Splotch." He murmured. She fluffed her kit fur on her face against the chilling wind. Snow started to drift down, and it remained on their pelts.  
"Hey. You all right?" she asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"I've been better," he admitted, wincing as pain rippled through him when he shifted.  
"Well, Asarma and Tinle went scouting; they found some medicine but Snowtiger himself showed up and attacked, and they had to flee... which, if you ask me... was very _fuycha._"

He growled deeply. "Snowtiger."

The ruthless cat he now felt hate for... but why had he been captured? Not for a message, he was sure, he could have just come himself or sent someone. There was deep mystery shrouding things here, he decided, and he would figure it out.

One way or another, he would.

He was jerked from his thought as a small field mouse was laid in front of him by Bruten.

"Sorry, scrap, that's all we could muster up in the cold winter moons." He rumbled, shrugging his broad black shoulders.  
"It's fine," he muttered, looking in hunger at the tiny bit of food with bones jutting out. Clearly, he would only have a mouthful to eat. His stomach gave a most unsatisfying growl.  
Bruten turned and slipped away.

Sabre crouched down in a manner that didn't set blood flowing from him, and tore into the scrap of mouse with vigor and hunger, swallowing down to make it last and enjoying the savory flavor seeping into his jaws.

He felt a small pang of worry and sadness hit him; he had not fulfilled the rite of first hunt. _Definitely not a good omen,_ he thought as he looked at the sun-god poking over the mountain and burning away the thick snow clouds.  
He took the small skeleton of the mouse, crushed the skull in his teeth to release the spirit as he had been taught, and then licked up the marrow.  
He was very, very bored. He had to just lie here in a nest, all because of that _permadac'h _Snowtiger, and he had missed his only _darplin!  
_But he got up, surprised to feel no blood warm his fur. When he looked back, he was mystified to see a thin pink scar, and as he watched, it vanished, and fur sprouted from it.  
He nearly yowled in terror... what was happening to him?

What was he?


End file.
